Race Against Time by Kayla Woodhouse

Race Against Time: A Novel by Kayla Woodhouse
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

MOM'S REVIEW:

This sequel to "No Safe Haven" is another great read, taking place in North Pole, Alaska. After Zoya witnesses a murder, she and her mother experience suspicious incidents at their kennel and in their lives. As friends and a new employee rally around to protect them, they grow in their faith in God. Zoya and Anesia, her mother, must let go of past disappointments and learn to trust God and those they love.

I give this book five stars for bringing so many things together in one story: military secrets, the danger of Alaskan terrain, single parenthood, and learning to trust God with the details of life. Having visited this area of Alaska, I loved reading about it.

Along Wooded Paths by Tricia Goyer

Along Wooded Paths: A Novel by Tricia Goyer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

MOM'S REVIEW:

This second "Big Sky Novel" continues the story of Marianna Sommer, an Amish girl who relocated from Indianna to remote Montana with her family. While working with and receiving help from the Englisch (non-Amish), Marianna grows in her walk with God. She learns that the Amish are not the only ones that are special to God. Marianna's heart is torn between two men that she cares deeply for - an Amish man that she grew up with in Indianna and a very friendly Englischer who has taught her much since her move to Montana.

This book gives great insight into the thoughts and teachings of the Amish and the difficulties involved in living a set-apart life in the midst of a modern world. I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to the next one!

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This review copy was provided by B&H Publishing but the opinion expressed is my own.

The Chair by James L. Rubart

The Chair: A Novel by James L. Rubart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

MOM'S REVIEW:

If you were told that a certain chair was made by Jesus Christ and had healing power, would you believe it?
Corin Roscoe, an antique store owner, is given this chair and then begins his search for the truth. His life takes many unexpected and dangerous turns as others are affected by his search and desperate people try to get possession of the chair.

Healing broken relationships is the main theme of this novel and that is accomplished in a unique way by this author of other books such as "Rooms" and "Book of Days". I enjoyed his characters and storyline and was pleased with his ending.

I recommend this book as a "good read", but also as a parable on relationships.

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This review book was provided by B&H Fiction but the opinion expressed was my own.

Pirate of My Heart by Jamie Carie

Pirate of My Heart: A Novel by Jamie Carie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

MOM'S REVIEW:

Jamie is a relatively new author who brings to life the English gentry. Lady Kendra, after losing her father, is at the mercy of her money-hungry uncle who wishes to marry her off. Kendra goes for the alternative...boarding a ship for America and unknown relatives.

What stands out in this fictional tale of castles, pirates, and colonial life is Kendra's faith in God. He has a plan for her and can be trusted with her life. As Kendra goes from the top of the social ladder to the bottom, her faith does not waver.

Pirate of My Heart is a good read and a great lesson in early American history.

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This review copy was provided courtesy of B&H Publishing but the opinion expressed is my own.

Fallen Angel by Jeff Struecker & Alton Gansky

Fallen Angel: A Novel

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

MOM'S REVIEW:

John 15:13 comes alive in this novel about a Special Ops Unit assigned the task of rescuing a fallen satellite and some injured military personnel in enemy territory. It is a race against two other enemy nations trying, at all costs, to get their hands on the satellite as well.

The cast and story are unbelievably real as the author, Major Struecker, is a Black Hawk Down veteran and keeps you "on the edge". I was amazed at what our special forces are willing to go through for our country; and I gained a new appreciation for our military.

I would caution younger readers about the violence involved in interrogation techniques used in this story. Otherwise, it gets my high recommendation.

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This review copy was provided courtesy of B&H Publishing by the opinion expressed was my own.

The River Queen by Gilbert Morris

The River Queen: A Novel by Gilbert Morris
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

MOM'S REVIEW:

Book One in Gilbert Morris' new Water Wheel Series takes place in the mid 1800's along the Mississippi River during the river boat era. Julienne Ashby has been raised in a wealthy lifestyle, but when her father dies, the family is left with nothing but a run-down river boat. She finds a man to restore the boat and hopes to also restore the family fortune. When they face losing the boat to the mortgage holder, they take desperate measures to win a race and the prize money.

The gospel shines through in this story of restoration; and I enjoyed the setting of the story as they traveled between St. Louis and New Orleans on the river. However, the storyline is predictable as usual in his books. But the history that he brings alive is worth the read.

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This review copy was provided courtesy of B&H Publishers but the opinion expressed was in now way influenced.

Over the Edge by Brandilyn Collins

Over the Edge: A Novel by Brandilyn Collins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

MOM'S REVIEW:

This is a fascinating mystery about Lyme wars - the ongoing debate about treatment for Lyme disease. Since the author has struggled with Lyme disease herself, her characters and story are very authentic and eye-opening.

A very bitter man, whose wife died of Chronic Lyme Disease, infect the wife of the doctor who is responsible for research and standards on the treatment of Lyme. He wants the doctor to reverse his stance on the disease, but plans don't always go as predicted.

Over The Edge will keep you on the edge as you feel Janessa's pain and frustration. I highly recommend this book to anyone, but especially those who have experience with Lyme disease. The author includes some very helpful notes and recommendations at the end.

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This review copy was provided courtesy of B&H Publishing by the opinion expressed is purely my own.

Beside Still Waters by Tricia Goyer

Beside Still Waters by Tricia Goyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

MOM'S REVIEW:

I loved the different perspective that Tricia brought to this book about the Amish. She takes you to a newer Amish settlement in western Montanna where the Amish and "Englisch" intermingle on a daily basis. That is very different and frightening for the family in this story as they come from an Indianna settlement that is very closed and rigid. They have known God as a judge and not as a God who truly loves them and is interested in a personal relationship with them.

Being more familiar with the Lancaster Amish, this was an eye opener for me; and I hope Tricia continues the story of the Sommers family.

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This review copy was provided by B&H Publishing but the opinion is purely my own.

Targets Down by Bob Hamer

Targets Down by Bob Hamer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

MOM'S REVIEW

The author, being a retired FBI agent, brings current news into this thriller in a most believable way. The characters were not super-heroes and had weaknesses of their own, drawing you into their story. With organized crime, neo-Nazis, terrorism, and the sex-slave industry all woven into the plot, you get a glimpse into our sinful society as it is today. You also gain an appreciation for those who are laying their lives on the line to fight it. I am in awe of what families of FBI agents must endure.

Because of the violence and sex-slave themes, I would not recommend this book for anyone under 16.

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This review copy was provided by B&H Publishing but the opinion expressed was in no way influenced.

Facelift by Leanna Ellis

Facelift: A Novel by Leanna Ellis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

MOM'S REVIEW:

I enjoyed this story about a recently divorced mother of a teenager who struggles in knowing God's will in the details of her life. She wants reconciliation with her ex-husband who is only interested in pleasing himself; but God uses unexpected circumstances to teach her to trust Him.

The author uses today's real-life situations in the lives of her characters which makes the book very readable. I wish Leana Ellis had been more explicit in dealing with faith in Jesus Christ as the only way to having a personal relationship with God. Some of the characters seemed genuine in their faith, but others seemed to just use prayer in times of trouble.

BOOK OVERVIEW:

In life and love, we could all stand a few nips and tucks . . .

Kaye Redmond, a "can do" kind of woman, has the magical touch when it comes to staging houses to attract buyers. Her ability to make things "perfect" has served her well in her career. If only it could transform her personal life as well. With a failed marriage, an angry teenage daughter, and an ex-mother-in-law who is no fairy godmother, Kaye's life is about as imperfect as it gets.

But sometimes blessings come in the strangest packages. Like her ex-mother-in-law landing on Kaye's doorstep after a botched facelift. Could caring for the impossible woman help Kaye get what she wants most: her husband back? Isn't that what God would want? And what her daughter needs? But no fairy princess ever faced such obstacles: an ex-husband's surgically enhanced mistress, hormonal teenagers, and--worst of all--an extra handsome prince! How's a woman supposed to find happily-ever-after with all that going on?

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This review copy was provided courtesy of B&H Publishing but the opinion expressed is my own and was in no way influenced.

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Words by Ginny Yttrup {Giveaway}

 

Words by Ginny Yttrup
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

MOM'S REVIEW:

The author is a survivor of child abuse and writes this first novel from a child's heart on that very issue. You cannot read this book without being impacted by the affects of child abuse and the healing mercy of Jesus Christ. The characters are authentic - a young girl who doesn't speak and a single artist who has tried to bury the shame of her own past - brought together by God's plan to discover true healing.

I highly recommend this book, not for a light read, but to help wake one up to the reality going on around us which we might otherwise be blind to.

BOOK OVERVIEW:

"I collect words. I keep them in a box in my mind. I'd like to keep them in a real box, something pretty, maybe a shoe box covered with flowered wrapping paper. Whenever I wanted, I'd open the box and pick up the papers, reading and feeling the words all at once. Then I could hide the box. But the words are safer in my mind. There, he can't take them." Ten-year old Kaylee Wren doesn't speak. Not since her drug-addled mother walked away, leaving her in a remote cabin nestled in the towering redwoods-in the care of a man who is as dangerous as he is evil. With silence her only refuge, Kaylee collects words she might never speak from the only memento her mother left behind: a dictionary. Sierra Dawn is thirty-four, an artist, and alone. She has allowed the shame of her past to silence her present hopes and chooses to bury her pain by trying to control her circumstances. But on the twelfth anniversary of her daughter's death, Sierra's control begins to crumble as the God of her childhood woos her back to Himself. Brought together by Divine design, Kaylee and Sierra will discover together the healing mercy of the Word-Jesus Christ.

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This review copy was provided courtesy of B&H Books and the opinion expressed was strictly my own.

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!!! GIVEAWAY !!!

I have 1 copy to giveaway!  Read about the giveaway rules here.  Comment to enter this contest and a winner will be chosen on Friday, the 18th!

The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven by Kevin Malarkey

The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven by Kevin Malarkey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

MOM'S REVIEW:

A true story about a father and son who survived a terrible car accident, although son Alex remained in a coma for two months afterward. Upon awaking, Alex shared some unexpected experiences of time spent with Jesus in Heaven. He also shared some personal insight on angels and their ministry.
Kevin and Alex share their faith journey; a journey that will stir in you a longing for your future home in heaven. This is a wonderful book making me wish that I could meet this family.

BOOK OVERVIEW:

In 2004, Kevin Malarkey and his six-year-old son, Alex, suffered an horrific car accident. The impact from the crash paralyzed Alex—and medically speaking, it was unlikely that he could survive. “I think Alex has gone to be with Jesus,” a friend told the stricken dad. But two months later, Alex awoke from a coma with an incredible story to share. Of events at the accident scene and in the hospital while he was unconscious. Of the angels that took him through the gates of heaven itself. Of the unearthly music that sounded just terrible to a six-year-old. And, most amazing of all . . . Of meeting and talking to Jesus. The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven is the true story of an ordinary boy’s most extraordinary journey. As you see heaven and earth through Alex’s eyes, you’ll come away with new insights on miracles, life beyond this world, and the power of a father’s love.

The Snowflake by Jamie Carie

The Snowflake by Jamie Carie
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

MOM'S REVIEW:

This 1897 romance takes place during the Alaska gold rush. Ellen and Buck overcome incredible obstacles to survive a wilderness trek after their steamship can sail no more. It is a good look into life during the gold rush with good spiritual lessons, but too predictable for me.

BOOK OVERVIEW:

Christmas 1897. Ellen Pierce and her brother are determined to reach the Alaska gold rush. But when ice stalls their steamship, all seems lost, until Buck Lewis makes a decision: he'll lead all who dare to follow on foot toward Dawson City.

Buck is determined to leave behind a heartbreaking past. No amount of ice or weather will stop him. But he never counted on a woman joining a dangerous wilderness trek--or on falling in love with her.

As their journey unfolds and Christmas approaches, Ellen and Buck discover that the greatest gift of all can't be wrapped in paper and tied with a bow. It comes from, and is received in, the heart.

Come share in a soul-deep romance that gives a joyful reminder of a redeeming God who makes us each unique, yet loves us all the same.

Book of Days by James L Rubart

Book of Days: A Novel by James L. Rubart
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

MOM'S REVIEW:

Two stars for those who might like reading about the possibility of finding God's book that records our lives according to Psalm 139:16. The characters were genuine and believable, but the plot was not. I was encouraged with the ending to the story, though, and with the focus on God knowing and caring about all the details of our lives.

BOOK OVERVIEW:

"… in Your book all my days were recorded, even those which were purposed before they had come into being." —Psalm 139:16 Young Cameron Vaux’s mind is slipping. Memories of his wife, killed two years earlier in a car accident, are vanishing just as his dad predicted they would. Memories he knows he has to remember. His father tells Cameron that to save his mind he must find "the book with all days in it" —the past and future record of every soul on earth. When an obscure clue leads Cameron to a small central Oregon town, he meets enigmatic Taylor Stone, a possible guide to finding the book who seems to carry secrets far deeper than anyone imagines. Local hotshot TV personality Ann Bannister thinks the legend of the book is a farce, but she has her reasons to join Cameron’s search anyway. Finally, there is fanatical New Age guru Jason Judah, who will stop at nothing to find the book of days before Cameron does.

BOOK DETAILS:

Published by: B&H Publishing Group
ISBN: 9781433671517
Price: $14.99

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This review copy was provided courtesy of B&H Publishing Group but the opinion expressed is my own.

Petra: City of Stone by T.L. Higley

Petra: City of Stone by T.L. Higley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

MOM'S REVIEW:

Higley builds a suspenseful novel, based on history, that brings the New Testament to life. It shares the persecution of Christians in a vivid way and makes one question the strength of his/her own faith. As you follow the believers in their struggles against real principalities and powers of the air, you become more aware of the evils in your world today and how you can fight them through the power of Jesus Christ. I recommend this book to believers and non-believers alike. It would make a great gift.

BOOK OVERVIEW:

Petra, the wondrous ancient city carved from the mountains of modern Jordan, is at the height of its glory in this gripping historical novel by T. L. Higley. A young widow, Cassia, and her son, Alexander, have arrived there seeking protection with her late husband's estranged family. But when Cassia discovers the man she married was heir to the throne, the power-hungry Queen Hagiru plots to murder Alexander so that her own child will someday rule. The queen, priestess of the sun-god, Dushrat, calls on demonic powers in her quest, but Cassia is prepared for the fierce spiritual battle to save her son, joining a Roman named Julian and his community of believers in the Jewish Messiah. Together they seek a mighty movement of God far stronger than any dark heart or city made of stone.

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This book was provided for review courtesy of B&H Publishing but the opinions expressed our strictly our own.

View all my reviews

The Confirmation by Ralph Reed

The Confirmation by Ralph Reed
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

MOM'S REVIEW:

A must-read for anyone interested in how our government functions nowadays...this is an action-packed drama that keeps you interested, and yet could be right out of our newspapers today. Ralph Reed has been on the inside and knows his stuff.

BOOK OVERVIEW:

Newly elected U.S. president Bob Long is weighing reports of nuclear weapons in Iran when he learns Justice Peter Corbin Franklin, 86-year-old liberal conscience of the Supreme Court, has suffered a massive stroke. With pressing same-sex marriage and abortion laws as well as a huge antitrust case on the court's docket, the door is open for Long to appoint a conservative replacement, repaying the twenty-one million evangelicals who voted for him.

But it won't be that easy. Long suffers a series of political missteps while his court nominee, Marco Diaz, endures vicious character accusations in the media for his religious beliefs and rumors of a tragic past.

Meanwhile, terrorists in Iran have hijacked more nuclear materials and are threatening to bomb a major city if the U.S. or Israel attacks. Chaos reigns in the nation's capitol . . .

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This review copy was provided courtesy of B&H Publishing but the opinions expressed are my own.

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Introducing…

…My Mom!

My reading addiction appreciation was passed down from my Mom who inherited it from her own Mom and now it only seems fitting that she join me here at To Read, Or Not To Read.

Every once-in-a-while you will see books reviews written by her.  You’ll know they are from her because instead of saying “MY REVIEW” it will be titled “MOM’S REVIEW”.

I hope you will welcome her and enjoy more great perspectives on new and old books!